Articles: postoperative.
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Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass has a major impact on the congenital immune response, in which Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the first line of defence. Decreased surface expression of TLRs and impaired monocyte responsiveness to TLR ligands occur following surgery. However, the clinical implications of this altered immune response are not clear. ⋯ Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00356746.
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Hyperkalemia occurs frequently in hospitalized patients and is of particular concern for those who have undergone surgery, with postoperative care provided by clinicians of many disciplines. This review describes the normal physiology and how multiple perioperative factors can disrupt potassium homeostasis and lead to severe elevations in plasma potassium concentration. The pathophysiologic basis of diverse causes of hyperkalemia was used to broadly classify etiologies into those with altered potassium distribution (e.g. increased potassium release from cells or other transcellular shifts), reduced urinary excretion (e.g. reduced sodium delivery, volume depletion, and hypoaldosteronism), or an exogenous potassium load (e.g. blood transfusions). ⋯ Certain acute conditions and chronic co-morbidities present particular risk. These include chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, many outpatient preoperative medications (e.g. beta blockers, salt substitutes), and inpatient agents (e.g. succinylcholine, hyperosmolar volume expanders). Clinicians need to be aware of these pathophysiologic mechanisms for developing perioperative hyperkalemia as many of the risks can be minimized or avoided.
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Delirium after surgery is a common condition that leads to poor outcomes. Few studies have examined the effect of postoperative delirium on outcomes after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Patients who have delirium after cardiac surgery have poorer outcomes than do similar patients without this complication. Development and implementation of an extensive care plan to address postoperative delirium is necessary for cardiac surgery patients who are at risk for or have delirium after the surgery.
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Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a debilitating condition that occurs in approximately 30% of patients undergoing general anesthesia. Premedication with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and glucocorticoids is effective in clinical practice; however, 10% to 20% of patients still develop PONV. Currently, little is known about the treatment of refractory PONV. We present a case that illustrates the use of fosaprepitant for the treatment of refractory postoperative nausea and vomiting.